Attachment for tractor loader



Dec. 31, 2 K. SALNA ETAL ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTOR LOADER Sheet Filed Dec. 10, 1965 INVENTORS KARL SALNA CARL C. BAKER K. SALNA ETAL 3,419,170

ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTOR LOADER Filed Dec. 10, 1965 Sheet 2 of P INVENTORS KARL SALNA CARL C. BAKER ATT'Y.

United States Patent 3,419,170 ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTOR LOADER Karl Salna and Carl C. Baker, Mundelein, Ill., assignors to International Harvester Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 512,861 2 Claims. (Cl. 214-767) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tractor loader material handling attachment having a digging bucket with a front section pivotally supported on a back section. A hydraulic ram connected between the back section and the front section at a point between the cutting edge and the pivotal support, and a bracket interconnecting the pivotal support and the connection of the ram to the back section.

This invention relates to material handling attachments for tractor loader vehicles and more particularly relates to material handling attachments incorporating a variable volume, two-section bucket affording improved digging and loading characteristics.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel twosection bucket attachment for a loader vehicle which alfords increased dumping height and forward reach, improved cutting action, and a more eflicient operating sequence whereby following the dumping cycle the bucket sections are automatically positioned in a digging position for the subsequent loading cycle.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved bucket attachment for a loader vehicle in which a front bucket section pivots forward relative to a rear bucket section for digging material to be loaded, in which the bucket raises the material to any desired elevation, and in which the front section then pivots rearwardly for dumping the material as the sections are automatically returned to the digging position.

It is another important object of this invention to provide a material handling attachment for a tractor loader in which a floating linkage boom mechanism supports the rear section of a two-section bucket, in which a front section having a bottom wall pivots relative to the rear section for varying the volume of the bucket, and in which pivotal movement of the front section under the rear section for dumping automatically positions the sections in the digging position.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved method of handling material by means of a two-section bucket in which the material is loaded while moving the front bucket section forwardly relative to the rear bucket section, in which the bucket is then elevated to any desired position, and in which the material is then dumped by moving the front section rearwardly into the digging position so that the operator is free to manipulate other controls on the vehicle While the boom is being lowered.

The foregoing and other objects of the present invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art when the following specification is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a tractor loader vehicle incorporating a material handling bucket attachment embodying features of the present invention and in which the attachment is shown in the digging position;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the loader vehicle and bucket attachment of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is .a side elevational view similar to FIG- URE 1 showing a loaded bucket as it is lifted toward an elevated position; and

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view showing the bucket attachment of the present invention dumping the material from the elevated position.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly FIG- URES 1 and 2, a tractor loader vehicle is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. A boom assembly 12 is mounted at the front end of vehicle 10 and supports the material handling bucket attachment 14 for vertical swinging movement. The boom and bucket attachment are shown in a lowered, digging position with the boom cradled between the pair of front wheels 16 of the vehicle 10.

The boom assembly 12 comprises a pair of boom arms 18 pivotally mounted to either side of the vehicle 10 by means of pins 20. The free ends of each of the boom arms 18 are pivotally attached to the bucket attachment.

14- by means of pins 22. The boom assembly 12 further comprises a guide bar 24 pivotally attached at one end to the tractor by means of pin 26 and at its other end to the bucket attachment 14 by means of pin 28. The boom arms 18 and guide bar 24 are connected between the tractor and bucket attachment in a parallelogram configuration to produce a floating linkage mechanism which maintains a substantially constant attitude of the attachment 14 with respect to ground level as the boom assembly 12 is raised and lowered. Although the floating linkage mechanism illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 4 is considered to be preferred it is understood that the guide bar 24 may be replaced by an extensible hydraulic ram and/or rocker arm assembly (not shown) for tilting the bucket attachment 14 about the pin 22.

The boom assembly 12 is raised and lowered through operation of a pair of extensible hydraulic rams 30' provided on either side of the vehicle 10. Each of the rams 30 is pivotally attached at its head end to the vehicle by means of pin 32 and at its rod end to a respective boom arm 18 by means of clevis 34 and pin 36. Selective extension and retraction of the rams 30 is produced through operation of a hydraulic control circuit (not shown).

The bucket attachment 14 comprises two bucket sections operable to produce a variable volume capacity between the digging and carrying positions. The back section 38 includes a pair of laterally spaced-apart sidewalls 40 pivotally mounted to the pins 22. A rear wall 42 is rigidly secured between sidewalls 40' and has a concave forward curvature. A pair of brackets 44 extend rearwardly from the rear wall 42 and are pivotally mounted on the pin 28 of guide bar 24. A bottom support member 46 extends between the lower margins of the sidewalls 40 and the lower edge of rear wall 42. A forwardly directed cutting blade 48 is mounted at the lower edge of rear wall 42 and extends between the sidewalls 40.

The front section 50 is essentially U-shaped as viewed in FIGURE 2 and pivots relative to back section 38 to define a variable volume bucket therewith. The front section 50 comprises a pair of laterally spaced-apart outer walls 52 which enclose sidewalls 40 and are pivotally attached thereto by means of pins 54. An arcuate bottom wall 56 is secured between the lower margins of the outer walls 52. The upper surface of bottom wall 56 is in sliding contact with the cutting blade 48 as the front section 50 pivots about pins 54. A forwardly directed cutting blade 58 is mounted on the leading edge of bottom wall 56 and extends between the outer walls 52. The rear edge 60 of the bottom wall 56 may also be provided with a cutting blade (not shown) for use in leveling or clam-shell operations.

Pivotal movement of front section 50 is effected through operation of a pair of extensible hydraulic rams 62 mounted on either side of the attachment 14. Each of the rams 62 is pivotally mounted at its head end to pins 22 and at its rod end to pins 64 secured to the leading edge of outer walls 52. A bracket 66 is mounted on either side of the attachment 14 between pins 54 and 22 and serves as additional support for the head end of ram 62. Applicants have also provided a pair of covers 68 mounted on the outer surface of outer walls 52 and enclosing the rod ends of rams 62. The purpose of covers 68 is to prevent dirt or other objectionable material from interfering with the operation of rams 62.

Selective extension and retraction of rams 62 is effected through operation of a hydraulic circuit (not shown) with its hydraulic controls located in the operators compartment. With the rams 62 fully retracted the front section 50 of the bucket attachment is in the digging position, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, whereby the blade 58 is in registry with blade 48 of back section 38. In this position the attachment 14 may also be operated as a dozer blade to grade or level material.

In operation, with the bucket attachment 14 in position for digging, the vehicle 10 may be driven into the material pile with the blades 48 and 58 cutting into the material. Simultaneous with this the operator will manipulate the hydraulic controls to extend rams 62 thereby pivoting front section 50 forwardly about pins 54. The blade 58 will now out into the material in the path of an arc about pins 54.

As the front section 50 is moved forward to fill the bucket with material, the rams 30 may also be extended and the boom 12 raised so that the bucket attachment 14 defines a longer arc of travel into the material, thereby loading a greater amount of material.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the invention with the boom assembly 12 partially raised and with the rams 62 fully extended so that the front section 50 is pivoted forward into the carry position. In this position the rear edge 60 of bottom wall 56 is moved into juxtaposition with blade 48 on the back section 38. The bucket attachment 14 now defines its maximum volume capacity and is ready to elevate and carry the material.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the operation of the present invention during a dumping cycle. The boom assembly 12 is raised to elevate the bucket attachment 14 t the desired height. The operator now manipulates the hydraulic controls to retract rams 62 and thereby pivot the front section 50 rearwardly with respect to the back section 38 until the blade 58 of the bottom wall 56 is in juxtaposition to the blade 48. The material will now fall by force of gravity from the bucket 14.

As the front section 50 pivots rearwardly the blade 48 of the back section 38 is in sliding contact with the arcuate upper surface of the bottom wall 56. This serves as a cleaning function whereby the blade 48 scrapes adhering material from the surface of bottom wall 56.

After termination of the dumping cycle the front section 50 is automatically positioned with respect to rear section 38 in the digging position as illustrated in FIG- URE 1. The need is eliminated for the operator to manipulate the controls for bringing the bucket back to the digging position after the dumping cycle as with conventional loader buckets. Thus, with the present invention the operator is free to manipulate the controls for lowering the boom 12 while maneuvering the vehicle 10 into another location for a loading cycle. The time thus saved by the automatic positioning feature adds up to an appreciable time savings over a large number of operations.

In view of the foregoing description, it is clear that there has been provided herein a new and improved material handling attachment providing improved digging characteristics with automatic positioning of the bucket for the loading cycle after completion of the dumping cycle.

While the embodiment herein is at present considered to be preferred, it will be understood that numerous variations and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such variations and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A material handling bucket for use with a vehicle having a vertically swingable boom, the bucket comprising:

a back section pivotally carried on the boom;

said back section having a side wall spaced exteriorly of the back section;

a front section having a cutting edge and an outer wall spaced exteriorly of said front section;

cover means secured to the side wall and extending laterally from and parallel to the side wall;

first means pivotally mounting the front section on the back section, first pin means extending through said side wall and said cover means;

a hydraulic ram;

second pin means pivotally securing one end of said ram to the back section;

third pin means extending between said outer wall and the cover means for pivotally securing the other end of said ram to the front section at a point between the first pin means and the cutting edge, and positioning said other end between the cover means and the outer wall; and

bracket means extending between said first and second pin means.

2. A material handling bucket according to claim 1 wherein said second pin means pivotally secures the back section on the boom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,806,617 9/1957 Beyerstedt et al. 214510 2,812,872 11/1957 Perkins et al 214510 3,070,246 12/1962 Johnson et al. 37117.5 3,229,835 1/1966 Watts 214146 3,243,067 3/1966 Artman 37--117.5 3,341,041 9/1967 Salna' 214- ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

EUGENE W. EICKHOLT, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 37117.5 

